Inside the passageway exiting the arena, the members of the Blazing Fire Academy team were all glaring resentfully at the Blue Tyrant Academy team.
To be more precise, they were all glaring resentfully at Chu Chengzhou.
Losing wasn't the end of the world—after all, losing a match wasn't that big of a deal. Blazing Fire Academy wasn't the bottom-tier among the Five Elemental Academies, and even if they lost to Blue Tyrant, they were still essentially guaranteed one of the five qualification spots in the preliminaries.
But what really stung was not just the loss—it was how humiliatingly Chu Chengzhou had treated them during the match, especially Huo Wushuang.
In Huo Wushuang's view, he had already been knocked out of the ring, and was about to fall to the ground. But instead, in front of a huge audience, that bastard Chu Chengzhou had grabbed him and hung him on a tree! Did he think Huo Wushuang didn't care about his dignity?
If he could, Huo Wushuang would love nothing more than to beat up Chu Chengzhou—preferably by hanging him on a tree and then doing it.
Unfortunately, his strength wasn't up to the task. What could he do?
Faced with the angry glares of the Blazing Fire team, Chu Chengzhou raised his eyebrows and said:
"What? Blazing Fire Academy can't take a loss?"
"Who says we can't?!" snapped Huo Wu, clearly provoked.
"Then why are you all looking at me like that? From the looks of it, you sure don't seem like gracious losers."
Chu Chengzhou stroked his chin and said this with a calm expression.
"Hmph!"
Letting out a cold snort and throwing him a fierce glare, Huo Wu looked away.
At that moment, a tall young man with short silver hair, wearing a mask and a teal team uniform, walked toward them.
Yo~ Masked guy trying to act mysterious?
But in the next second, this mysterious guy dropped the act.
"Huo Wu, are you alright?"
Seeing that his goddess was in a bad mood, Feng Xiaotian quickly stepped forward, concern written all over his face.
"Get lost. I don't want to talk to you."
Huo Wu, still upset, waved him away like swatting a fly. She had no time for this clingy "lapdog."
To be fair, while Feng Xiaotian was definitely a lapdog, Huo Wu wasn't exactly a "heartless tease."
What's a tease? Someone who doesn't reject, doesn't accept, keeps stringing someone along while keeping backups. But Huo Wu had clearly rejected Feng Xiaotian and thought he lacked masculinity.
Seeing that Huo Wu was ignoring him, Feng Xiaotian got anxious.
"Hey! Chu Chengzhou, right? You just bullied Huo Wu! I demand you apologize to her right now!"
Feng Xiaotian wasn't stupid. He knew exactly why Huo Wu was upset, and immediately turned his attention to Chu Chengzhou to score some points with her.
Whether it helped or not, he had to show her whose side he was on.
"Your Huo Wu? Huo Wu, what's your relationship with this guy?"
Chu Chengzhou looked amused as he asked Huo Wu.
Feng Xiaotian immediately turned expectantly toward Huo Wu, hoping she'd say he was her boyfriend.
Too bad for him, Huo Wu didn't even hesitate:
"Feng Xiaotian, my affairs have nothing to do with you. I've told you already—I don't like you."
Cue dramatic music: Snow falls, north wind howls...
"Bro, my condolences."
Chu Chengzhou gave Feng Xiaotian a pat on the shoulder, grinning as he turned and walked off with the rest of the Blue Tyrant team.
The rejection hit hard and unexpectedly. Huo Wu didn't act out again, nor did she promise anything to Feng Xiaotian. She simply ignored him and walked out with her teammates.
Feng Xiaotian stood frozen, staring at Huo Wu's retreating figure.
He couldn't understand—he had done everything right. He even held back on purpose during practice battles with her and Huo Wushuang. Why didn't she accept him?
Just then, Huo Wushuang walked back and sighed, patting Feng Xiaotian's shoulder.
Truth be told, Huo Wushuang quite liked Feng Xiaotian. If he could become his brother-in-law, he'd be happy. After all, Feng Xiaotian was of similar age, devoted, and had innate full soul power. Such a fine potential brother-in-law was rare.
But alas—his sister wasn't interested, and as her brother, he couldn't force it.
"Bro, you're the best."
Feng Xiaotian looked longingly at Huo Wu and sighed.
"Don't call me that. I'm not your bro—and I'm younger than you, anyway."
That "bro" caught Huo Wushuang off guard.
(Inner monologue: "Well, future brother-in-law still counts as bro...")
"Wushuang, tell me—how can I get Huo Wu to accept me?"
"How should I know? I don't even have a girlfriend. You think I understand girls?"
Huo Wushuang rolled his eyes.
One had zero emotional intelligence, and the other was a blockhead. Neither realized that the reason Huo Wu rejected Feng Xiaotian was because he was too clingy.
A strong-willed girl like her could never be won over by begging—only by dominance.
With five battle stages running at once, the preliminary round progressed quickly. By midday, all thirteen matches for the three groups had concluded.
After the match, Chu Chengzhou and his team left the arena.
"Rongrong!"
Just as they stepped outside, preparing to head back to the academy, a deep voice called out.
Turning around, Chu Chengzhou saw Ning Fengzhi and the tall Bone Douluo Gu Rong walking toward them.
"Dad! Grandpa Bone!"
Ning Rongrong ran forward excitedly and leapt into Gu Rong's arms.
Yup—for this little troublemaker, Grandpa > Dad.
As Gu Rong gently spoke with his darling granddaughter, Ning Fengzhi walked over with a smile:
"Greetings, students of Blue Tyrant Academy."
"Greetings, Sect Master Ning! Your Grace, Bone Douluo!"
The two men were very well-known, and everyone recognized them instantly, bowing respectfully.
"No need to be so formal," Ning Fengzhi waved his hand. "Right now, I'm just Rongrong's father. Don't treat me like a sect master—just an elder."
Then he turned his gaze to Chu Chengzhou.
"Young man Chu, I watched your match earlier. Very impressive."
"You flatter me, Uncle Ning. Our win against Blazing Fire was thanks to the whole team."
Chu Chengzhou replied humbly.
"Haha, humility is good—but no need to overdo it."
Ning Fengzhi chuckled. He had originally come to "put the young man in his place" to prevent him from getting arrogant after showing off. But to his surprise, Chu Chengzhou was surprisingly modest—completely different from how he imagined him.
"Rongrong, aren't you going to introduce your teammates?"
"Of course! Dad, Grandpa Bone—this is Senior Jiangzhu, our team's healing-type soul master. She's a 35th-level Soul Elder. This is Senior Huang Yuan—his spirit is the Lone Wolf, also 35th-level, an assault-type. Senior Jing Ling, Skull Spirit, agility-type. Senior Tai Long from the Strength Clan—he's a 38th-level power-type soul master."
Rongrong gestured to each as she introduced them.
"Excellent. All of you are quite talented. With hard work, you're sure to achieve great things."
Ning Fengzhi nodded with encouragement. Of course, he also understood that while these four had potential, they'd probably only reach around the Soul Sage level—perhaps Soul Douluo at best. Becoming a Title Douluo was unlikely.
Rongrong continued:
"This is Ma Hongjun—we call him Fatty. He has the Lava Fire Phoenix spirit, 39th-level Soul Elder. By the time the finals begin, he'll probably be a four-ring Soul Ancestor."
"This is Oscar—used to be known as the Sausage Uncle. His spirit is sausage, and he's a 42nd-level food-type Soul Ancestor.
Oh, and Dad—Oscar is the first ever innate full soul power food-type soul master in the entire continent!"
Upon hearing this, Ning Fengzhi's smile widened.
He was already aware of Blue Tyrant's intel. Ma Hongjun was only 14 and about to break through to Soul Ancestor—definitely a future Title Douluo candidate.
Oscar, meanwhile, was unprecedented—an innate full soul power food-type soul master. With that kind of talent, there were no limitations. As long as he grew steadily, he'd surely become a Title Douluo. He might even become the first food-type Title Douluo in history.
Such genius, even if they didn't end up joining the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, would always be valuable allies due to their connection with Rongrong.
"Dad, Grandpa Bone—now I want to introduce my two best girlfriends!
This is Zhuqing. Her spirit is the Netherworld Civet—43rd-level agility-type Soul Ancestor. She's even younger than me!
And this is Xiao Wu. Her spirit is the Soft Bone Rabbit. Want to guess her soul power level?"
Rongrong smiled, clinging to her besties.
"I've got no idea," Ning Fengzhi replied with a smile.
"She couldn't have already reached five rings, could she?" guessed Gu Rong, stroking his chin.
Xiao Wu had mastered powerful techniques. Even Gu Rong, a 95th-level Title Douluo, couldn't see through her power level.
But since his princess made such a fuss, it clearly wasn't just four rings.
"Grandpa Bone, you're so clever! That's right—Xiao Wu reached Soul King level just before the tournament started!"
As she spoke, Ning Rongrong proudly puffed out her chest, as if she were the one who had advanced to the five-ring Soul King level.
Upon hearing this, Ning Fengzhi was momentarily stunned.
He had always kept an eye on the information regarding Chu Chengzhou and his companions, but he truly didn't know that Xiao Wu had advanced to become a five-ring Soul King.
According to the reports, Xiao Wu was said to be 18 years old this year. An 18-year-old Soul King—undoubtedly another super genius.
What Ning Fengzhi didn't know was that the information he had received only scratched the surface. Xiao Wu's true age wasn't 18. According to the human Soul Master system, she was only 14.
Of course, if you counted Xiao Wu's entire lifespan as a rabbit, then there wouldn't be a single Soul Master on the continent older than her.
Upon learning of Xiao Wu's strength, Ning Fengzhi felt both happy and worried.
Because he knew that his precious daughter had an unusual relationship with Chu Chengzhou, and Xiao Wu was Chu Chengzhou's official girlfriend.
As a father, if he had a choice, Ning Fengzhi naturally wouldn't want his daughter to share a husband with another woman.
Ask Xiao Wu to leave Chu Chengzhou?
Ning Fengzhi wasn't that stupid. If he actually did that, never mind whether Chu Chengzhou would resent him—Xiao Wu, with her bright future, would definitely hate him.
As for asking Chu Chengzhou to distance himself from his daughter and break off their relationship?
Putting aside whether either of them would agree to that—Chu Chengzhou was such an outstanding son-in-law that Ning Fengzhi himself would be reluctant to let go.
Because he wasn't just a father—he was also the Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. From the sect's perspective, as long as the son-in-law was capable and treated his daughter well, a few romantic entanglements were tolerable.
"So that means the Lanba Academy battle team has one five-ring Soul King and five four-ring Soul Ancestors? Tsk~ What a pity."
Gu Rong clicked his tongue with some regret.
"A pity? Grandpa Bones, what do you mean?"
Ning Rongrong was confused.
"Hehe, nothing~"
Gu Rong shook his head and didn't elaborate.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had recently received word that the Spirit Hall was promoting a so-called "Golden Generation." The three members of this "Golden Generation" were not lacking in talent or strength—they were all five-ring Soul Kings.
This meant that in the upcoming Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament, the Spirit Hall's team would consist of three five-ring Soul Kings and at least four Soul Ancestors.
In past tournaments, a team like Lanba Academy—with one five-ring Soul King and five four-ring Soul Ancestors—would usually be strong enough to win the championship. But against the Spirit Hall's three Soul Kings, they were still lacking.
However, Gu Rong didn't want to dampen his precious granddaughter's enthusiasm, so he kept quiet.
After all, in his view, telling her about the Spirit Hall team would only bring her anxiety, and no real benefit. So better not to mention it.
Clearly, Gu Rong didn't know much about Chu Chengzhou's true strength. He didn't realize that the most powerful member of the Lanba Academy team wasn't Xiao Wu with her highest soul power level—it was actually Chu Chengzhou, the unconventional support-type Soul Ancestor.
Seeing that her Grandpa Bones had only half-explained himself, Ning Rongrong was extremely curious. But just as she was about to ask, Gu Rong changed the subject.
"Rongrong, you haven't introduced these two to Grandpa Bones yet!"
Gu Rong pointed at Chu Chengzhou and Dai Mubai, shifting the topic.
"Eh? Grandpa Bones, you don't know Senior Chu?"
Ning Rongrong blinked.
Her father had met the scumbag Chu long ago, and Grandpa Sword had seen him too. She didn't believe Grandpa Bones hadn't heard of Chu Chengzhou.
Gu Rong: "..."
Fine. He did know this young man.
After all, his old buddy Chen Xin had mentioned that his precious granddaughter had an "unusual" relationship with this guy. As a doting grandfather, Gu Rong had naturally done his homework.
"And who's this young man?"
Gu Rong pointed at Dai Mubai.
"Oh, he's Dai Mubai."
Ning Rongrong glanced at Dai Mubai and responded indifferently.
What was there to say about this Dai Tiger? If it weren't for the fact that they went to the same academy, she'd already want to find someone to beat him up!
From the start, because of her bestie Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong had been repulsed by Dai Mubai.
And then, because Chu Chengzhou and Dai Mubai didn't get along, she disliked him even more.
Add to that the fact that Dai Mubai came from the Star Luo royal family, which had a long-standing grudge with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect—there was no way the sect's little princess would give him a warm welcome.
Noticing that his beloved granddaughter seemed quite hostile toward Dai Mubai, Gu Rong raised an eyebrow.
"Uncle Bone, Dai Mubai is the third prince of Star Luo, and doesn't get along well with Rongrong and the others,"
Ning Fengzhi transmitted telepathically.
Gu Rong was even more surprised.
A Star Luo prince? White Tiger? Hell Civet?
If he wasn't mistaken, based on Star Luo royal tradition, this Dai Mubai and that Zhu Zhuqing girl should have a marriage contract, right?
So Rongrong dislikes Dai Mubai, yet is best friends with his fiancée?
Wait—no. Zhu Zhuqing and Dai Mubai, who were supposed to be engaged, have fallen out?
For a moment, a small flame of gossip was kindled in Gu Rong's heart.
Though, it was only a small flame.
After all, Dai Mubai was just a prince, not the crown prince, and certainly not the emperor.
If the Star Luo Emperor were to fall out with the soon-to-be empress right before the coronation—that would be a real scandal.
After chatting for a bit, Ning Fengzhi's old habit kicked in, and he extended an olive branch to the Lanba team.
But perhaps they were too used to their freedom. Only Jiangzhu, Jingling, and Huang Yuan seemed interested in joining the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
Ning Fengzhi was a little disappointed, but not too regretful.
After all, apart from Dai Mubai—who was clearly from a rival faction—the rest were all his daughter's friends. Even if they didn't officially become part of his sect, they were natural allies.
By this time, more and more spectators had left the Great Spirit Arena. Seeing it was getting late, Ning Fengzhi said, "It's been a real pleasure meeting such talented young people today. You'd best head back to the academy now! Chu, you stay for a moment—I have something to discuss with you."
Hearing this, Chu Chengzhou raised an eyebrow.
But since it was his future father-in-law asking, there was no way he could say no. What if the little witch's dowry got cut?
Soon, everyone from Lanba Academy left except Chu Chengzhou, who followed Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong into the bustling part of Heaven Dou City.
As they walked, Chu Chengzhou asked, "Uncle Ning, what did you want to talk about?"
Ning Fengzhi smiled and replied, "I'm taking you to meet a young man."
Immediately, Chu Chengzhou understood.
If he guessed correctly, this "young man" was none other than the Heaven Dou Empire's crown prince, Xue Qinghe—also known as the angelic lady Qian Renxue.
Perhaps Ning Fengzhi believed that, since both his future son-in-law and disciple were young men, it would be good for them to get to know each other?
Well, Chu Chengzhou agreed. He thought it was worth getting acquainted.
Soon, the three arrived at a luxurious establishment called the Heaven Dou Grand Hotel.
It was a grand place, lavishly decorated in gold and jade. Even before entering, Chu Chengzhou was overwhelmed by a sense of... "humble extravagance."
Well, that made sense. A hotel daring to call itself "Heaven Dou" had to be equivalent to a state guesthouse in his previous life. Its standards had to be impeccable—anything less would bring shame to the whole empire.
Just then, a waiter stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Greetings, Sect Master Ning, Your Excellency Bone Douluo. His Highness has been waiting. Please follow me."
"Mm," Ning Fengzhi nodded faintly.
Following the waiter to the third floor, they arrived at a private room deep inside. The waiter opened the door and led them in.
The room was spacious, nearly a hundred square meters. Inside sat a young man with short golden hair.
As the three entered, the young man stood up to greet them.
"Teacher, Your Excellency Bone Douluo!"
It was Xue Qinghe—or rather, Qian Renxue—who gave a respectful salute.
Compared to the novel, Xue Qinghe's appearance here matched more closely with the anime version.
He looked to be in his early twenties, with short golden hair and a refined, stylish outfit of red, gold, and white. He was handsome and gave off an air of grace and courtesy.
Chu Chengzhou had to admit—the disguise soul bone technique of the angelic head soul bone was indeed top-notch. Even knowing full well that Xue Qinghe was actually Qian Renxue, he couldn't detect a single flaw.
He wondered—if he stepped forward now and explored a bit, could he "uncover" the angelic lady's treasured assets?
He had once caught a glimpse of them through her robes. Though not as large as the black cat's, they were still quite impressive.
Ning Fengzhi smiled and said, "Chu, let me introduce you. This is His Highness the Crown Prince of Heaven Dou Empire, Xue Qinghe—he is also my disciple."
"So it's His Highness. My apologies!"
Chu Chengzhou cupped his hands in greeting.
Yes, apologies indeed. Right now, the angelic lady is Xue Qinghe. How could I have such indecent thoughts? Shame on me!
Wait a second—why does Xue Qinghe's face seem so similar to the Qian Renxue I met before?
Damn, could it be I'm turning...?
"Brother Chu, I've long heard my teacher speak of you. I watched your matches earlier and was very impressed.
It's a pleasure to meet you. If you don't mind, just call me Brother Xue. No need for titles."
Qian Renxue praised him warmly.
Truth be told, Qian Renxue couldn't quite make sense of Chu Chengzhou's strength.
Not his 48th-level Soul Power—that wasn't unusual. The Soul Master Tournament brought together the best talents from across the continent. There were even Soul Kings among the participants.
What puzzled her was Xiaoqing's strength.
She had clearly seen that when Chu Chengzhou summoned that giant tree, it was with his first soul ring.
And yet, that tree completely dominated Huo Wu, a four-ring Soul Ancestor—not to mention, it gave powerful group shields to his teammates, on par with ten-thousand-year defensive soul skills used by Soul Kings.
Even if Chu Chengzhou's banner martial soul had unique properties, like the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, and could scale in strength with his level—wasn't this a bit too overpowered?
And that was just from his first soul skill. If he summoned creatures from his higher-level soul skills, wouldn't he be able to crush Soul Kings or even Soul Emperors?
And if his level kept rising, could his summoned beasts match ten-thousand-year soul beasts?
The more she thought about it, the more absurd it seemed.
Could such an overpowered martial soul really exist?
Comparing it to her own Seraphim martial soul... Qian Renxue suddenly felt that maybe her six-winged angel wasn't all that special after all.
"Brother Xue!"
Without hesitation, Chu Chengzhou called out directly.
"Come, dear brother, have a seat! Someone, serve the food!"
Seeing that Chu Chengzhou was tactful and sensible, Qian Renxue nodded in satisfaction, led him to his seat, and then called out to the waiter outside the private room.
"Qinghe, Chu lad, you're both young men—have a good chat."
Ning Fengzhi said with a smile.
As he spoke, Ning Fengzhi took the main seat. Gu Rong sat to the right, Qian Renxue to the left, and Chu Chengzhou next to her.
"Naturally! Dear brother, may I ask—do you have any elders in your family?"
Qian Renxue asked Chu Chengzhou.
Chu Chengzhou had only recently entered her field of view, so she knew very little about him.
"Alas, I'm not as fortunate as you, Brother Xue. My parents died when I was very young, and I was raised by my grandparents."
Chu Chengzhou sighed, shaking his head in regret.
To be honest, one of Chu Chengzhou's greatest regrets was the early death of his parents.
If they had lived, even if his talent wasn't outstanding, with the many celestial herbs from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, he could've at least ensured they reached the Title Douluo level.
If he eventually ascended to become a Supreme God King, arranging two god positions for them wouldn't have been out of the question either.
Still, compared to Qian Renxue, Chu Chengzhou didn't see himself as too pitiful.
Sure, he lost both parents—but at least he didn't have to live with the reality that his mother was also the one who killed his father.
Having your own mother be your father's killer—that's far more devastating than being orphaned!
"That was inconsiderate of me. Please forgive me, dear brother."
Not expecting to touch on such a sore spot, Qian Renxue felt a little embarrassed and quickly apologized.
But after hearing Chu Chengzhou's story, she couldn't help but think of her own parents—especially that cold and hateful look in her mother Bibi Dong's eyes.
That woman, Bibi Dong, was truly wicked—probably the worst woman in the world!
"No worries, it's been over ten years already."
Chu Chengzhou waved it off.
The past was in the past, and one must look forward. His job now wasn't to dwell in sorrow but to fulfill his father's unfulfilled aspirations—slightly modified: marry a few beautiful wives, have a bunch of kids, and create the strongest clan in the entire Douluo Universe.
After some small talk, a knock came at the door. A moment later, two waiters wheeled in a food cart.
"Dear brother, we hit it off so well—today, we must drink a few rounds!"
With the dishes served, Qian Renxue smiled and spoke to Chu Chengzhou.
Chu Chengzhou's spirit was quite interesting, and being a 48th-level Soul Sect at just 19 showed decent talent—not inferior to Hu Liena, the disciple Bibi Dong had placed such high hopes on. Plus, Chu Chengzhou was closely tied to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan—he might even be Ning Fengzhi's future son-in-law. Definitely someone worth drawing in.
Chu Chengzhou had never touched alcohol in his life, but when the time came, he couldn't back down.
Besides, when an angelic beauty invites you to food and drink—there's no reason to say no.
Meanwhile, at the Heaven Dou Spirit Hall...
In a lavish hall, Salas tapped his fingers on the armrest, pondering an assassination plan.
Just then, three figures entered—one burly and strong, two tall and lean, all with impressive auras.
"Cang Xiong, Han Bing, Lie Yan, reporting to the Hall Master."
The large, burly man—Cang Xiong—bowed slightly, while Han Bing and Lie Yan respectfully saluted.
From their attitudes alone, one could see their power levels were different.
And indeed, Han Bing and Lie Yan were both seven-ring Soul Saints, while Cang Xiong was an eight-ring Soul Douluo. Though not as high-ranking as Salas, the platinum bishop and Hall Master of the Heaven Dou Spirit Hall, their strength alone commanded significant respect.
"You three have been secretly cultivated by our Heaven Dou Spirit Hall. I've summoned you because there's a task I need handled."
Salas nodded, speaking gravely.
"Please give the order, Hall Master!"
"There is a student at Blue Tyrant Academy named Chu Chengzhou. He's closely associated with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and shows great potential. He could become a major threat to our Spirit Hall in the future. We must eliminate him preemptively. The Hall will provide intelligence support.
If you find a chance to catch him alone before tonight, Cang Xiong, don't act. Let Han Bing and Lie Yan handle it.
If no such chance arises, then the three of you will infiltrate Blue Tyrant Academy under the cover of night. That academy only has three Soul Saints—they won't be able to stop you.
Once the job is done, leave Heaven Dou City immediately. In fact, forget it—just return to Spirit City straight away!"
Salas originally wanted them to return after the situation cooled down, but reconsidered. To avoid exposure, it was best they go straight back.
After all, these were all experts above level 70, with one Soul Douluo among them. If the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan somehow caught them, he'd be heartbroken.
As for sending weaker, more expendable assassins?
In Salas' eyes, missions that couldn't be publicly acknowledged must be carried out with absolute precision—one strike, one kill.
If they sent weaker people who failed and alerted the target or the Glazed Tile Clan, it'd only be harder next time.
Leaving the Heaven Dou Grand Hotel, Chu Chengzhou headed back to Blue Tyrant Academy.
The lunch had gone well, with all parties pleased. As he left, the slightly tipsy Qian Renxue even gave him a token of private recognition and invited him to visit the palace for a casual get-together sometime.
"Could it be that she likes me?"
Chu Chengzhou thought to himself narcissistically.
Shaking his head, he brushed the thought aside.
That's one of life's three great delusions—best not to fall for it.
It was fine to accept an invitation, but to go seeking her out? That wasn't his style.
Romancing a beautiful angelic lady—sure, that's great. But if that lady is Xue Qinghe (Qian Renxue's male disguise), maybe not.
Besides, from his perspective, pursuing Qian Renxue wasn't all that difficult. Probably even easier than "Big Kitty" (Zhu Zhuqing).
Someone like Qian Renxue—proud and strong like a classic "Mary Sue" protagonist—would eventually yield if defeated a few times, especially if you looked good doing it.
In the original story, she even fell hopelessly in love with Tang San, the son of her father's killer. If he could win her heart, then surely Chu Chengzhou—without a plot armor-induced IQ drop—should be fine, right?
Heaven Dou Grand Hotel wasn't far from Blue Tyrant Academy, so soon, Chu Chengzhou was back at the gate.
Just as he entered, three figures appeared in the distant alley.
"Hmph~"
Watching Chu Chengzhou's retreating figure, the leader, Cang Xiong, snorted in regret.
The moment they received Salas' mission, the three of them sprang into action.
But since Chu Chengzhou had left the Great Spirit Arena with Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong, no one dared tail a Title Douluo, so they lost track of him.
His whereabouts only became known again as he returned from the hotel.
They rushed over as fast as possible—but were still too late.
It was still broad daylight. Launching an assassination at the academy would cause a major uproar.
And with the Bone Douluo from the Glazed Tile Clan still in the city, even if they succeeded, their chances of escaping were slim.
Salas might think sacrificing an eight-ring Soul Douluo and two seven-ring Soul Saints was acceptable to eliminate a threat.
But the three of them didn't want to throw their lives away.
As the saying goes: On dark, windy nights, it's the perfect time for murder and arson.
That night, three black-clad figures slipped into Blue Tyrant Academy through the forest at the rear.
Though there were still teachers on guard, they were no match for intruders of this level.
Meanwhile, in the dormitory...
Chu Chengzhou and Ning Rongrong had just finished another intense battle within the illusion realm game "The Naughty Nurse and Her VIP Client: A Forbidden Tale."
Feeling an impish hand groping behind her, Ning Rongrong blushed and pinched Chu Chengzhou's waist.
"Rongrong, how about we go another round?"
Licking the corner of his lips, savoring the lingering pleasure from the earlier illusion, Chu Chengzhou suggested:
"Peh~ Scumbag. It's late, I have to go."
Ning Rongrong firmly rejected the suggestion and pushed Chu Chengzhou away, standing up to tidy her clothes, which for some reason appeared particularly messy.
The disheveled clothes were naturally the result of Chu Chengzhou's antics.
While playing games in the illusion, the little nurse in the real world was of course at his mercy.
"Alright then."
Clicking his tongue, Chu Chengzhou nodded with some regret.
But there was no rush. The little witch had already fallen into his pond—no need to be too hasty.
To be honest, Chu Chengzhou felt his illusion technique was truly amazing—not only did it bring him pleasure, but it didn't even harm the body.
Then, Chu Chengzhou got out of bed, ready to escort the little witch who had come for their secret rendezvous.
"Hmm?"
But just as he opened the door, he caught a glimpse of three black-clothed figures sneaking toward him from the distance.
Seeing the three figures, Chu Chengzhou was briefly stunned.
What's going on? Thieves at the academy?
His expression soon changed.
The soul power aura emanating from the three was extraordinary. Two of them were slightly weaker than Flender and Zhao Wuji, but one was clearly stronger than Flender.
"Two seven-ring Soul Sages and one eight-ring Soul Douluo?"
Though Chu Chengzhou couldn't pinpoint their exact levels, he could sense their general class of power.
Without hesitation, Chu Chengzhou summoned his True Spirit Flag martial soul. His third soul ring lit up, and the Fire Phoenix, Xiao Hong, suddenly manifested in mid-air outside the dorm hallway.
Next, Chu Chengzhou wrapped his arm around Ning Rongrong's waist, tapped his foot, and leapt onto Xiao Hong's back with her.
In the dead of night, these three suspicious intruders not only wore nightclothes, but were also this powerful—clearly no good intentions. They were very likely here to cause trouble.
For now, the priority was to fly high into the sky and gain the upper hand.
Of course, that assumed the eight-ring Soul Douluo didn't have a flying martial soul.
"Who are you?!"
Riding high in the sky on Xiao Hong, golden light flashed from Chu Chengzhou's hands as he summoned the Flowing Gold Soul-Breaking Bow and the Titanium Armor-Piercing Arrow, glaring down at the three intruders.
The Flowing Gold Soul-Breaking Bow, forged with spirit-refined fine gold, was Chu Chengzhou's replacement for his fire-attribute Flaming Sun Arrow Bow. Paired with his gold-attribute soul power, the arrows it fired were even more powerful than before.
"Hmm? Has our intel been leaked?"
Cang Xiong (Dark Bear), cloaked in night gear and having watched Chu Chengzhou's smooth operation earlier, was visibly stunned.
He had never expected that before they could even strike, Chu Chengzhou would discover them.
At this moment, Cang Xiong had to suspect that the temple's plan had been exposed—how else could this be such a coincidence?
"Go!"
But there was no time to think. Cang Xiong waved to Han Bing (Ice) and Lie Yan (Flame).
His martial soul was the Violent Gold Bear, which didn't allow flight. Since Chu Chengzhou could fly—and at such a height—he was helpless even as a Soul Douluo.
Fortunately, Salas had anticipated this. Knowing that Liu Erlong and Flender could both fly and were strong, he arranged for Cang Xiong's partners, Han Bing and Lie Yan, to be flying-type Soul Sages.
"Crimson Flame Bird, Possession!"
"Ice Sparrow, Possession!"
The two flying-type Soul Sages activated their martial soul possession, their soul rings shining as they soared into the sky.
"You've got guts! Daring to cause trouble in my academy?! Sixth Soul Skill: Blazing Fire Dragon Rush!"
A fierce shout echoed. A fiery figure streaked across the sky like a meteor, crashing into Han Bing with a scorching dragon-fist impact.
"Fourth Soul Skill: Air Blade Slash!"
Flender descended from the sky, his fourth soul ring shining, as ten sharp, orange-gold blades shot at Lie Yan.
At the same time, Zhao Wuji, now in his Mighty Vajra Bear form, leapt from the dorm building like a cannonball, landing far ahead of Cang Xiong.
The moment Chu Chengzhou summoned Xiao Hong, Liu Erlong and the others sensed the soul power fluctuation. Though it was late at night and they had all been asleep, they were only a step behind.
Han Bing and Lie Yan endured the attacks with defensive soul skills. Lie Yan held off Flender's skill, but Han Bing—up against Liu Erlong's sixth skill—had his defense shattered and was punched to the ground, sustaining minor injuries.
Still, as a seven-ring Soul Sage with a defensive skill, Han Bing wasn't seriously hurt.
"Hmph~ You two, go kill the target! Let Blue Tyrant Academy choose who to save!"
Cang Xiong snorted, instructing Han Bing and Lie Yan before activating his Violent Gold Bear martial soul—two yellow, two purple, and four black soul rings glowing—charging toward the student dorms.
Han Bing and Lie Yan were just newly advanced Soul Sages, and Liu Erlong and Flender could both fly. If the two teachers focused on protecting Chu Chengzhou, there was a real chance he could escape.
But as the Art of War says: Attack what they must defend.
Chu Chengzhou was a student of Liu Erlong and Flender, but so were the others. Cang Xiong didn't believe that if he started a massacre in the dorms, the two would ignore it to protect just Chu Chengzhou.
As for Zhao Wuji? Just a bear-type martial soul like himself—he couldn't fly. Plus, Zhao Wuji was only a seven-ring Soul Sage and couldn't stop him.
"You dare!"
As expected, seeing the eight-ring Soul Douluo Cang Xiong charge the dorms, and knowing Zhao Wuji couldn't stop him, Liu Erlong and Flender panicked and rushed to intercept, abandoning their fight with Han Bing and Lie Yan.
Of course, their choice was based on knowing Chu Chengzhou's true strength.
If he weren't capable, they wouldn't have left him with two Soul Sages.
Especially with Ning Rongrong beside him—if anything happened to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's princess, they couldn't face her father.
With Liu Erlong and Flender gone, Han Bing and Lie Yan immediately flew toward Chu Chengzhou, who hadn't left the battlefield.
They knew their mission wasn't to fight teachers—it was to assassinate Chu Chengzhou. That goal was top priority.
'Scumbag Chu, you better not screw this up!'
Seeing the two flying Soul Sages approach, Ning Rongrong clutched tighter to Xiao Hong's feathers, her heart anxious.
'Relax. Just two Soul Sages without martial soul avatars.'
Sensing her fear, Chu Chengzhou comforted her with a spiritual message.
As the two enemies approached, Chu Chengzhou's second soul ring lit up. A mini-version of Xiao Bai manifested, and her innate skill Blessing surged out—white light enveloped him, boosting all attributes, including spirit, by 50%.
Then, Chu Chengzhou narrowed his eyes. Golden light gleamed from his bow as he aimed at the closer Crimson Flame Bird Soul Sage.
He calculated the maximum effective range of his illusion skill.
'Now!'
With a mental command, he activated his illusion technique and released the arrow.
A wave of invisible spirit energy surged forward, invading Lie Yan's mind.
With the 50% attribute boost, Chu Chengzhou's spirit power now surpassed the early-stage Soul Sage's, and in an instant, Lie Yan's vision blurred and consciousness fell into an unknown space.
A golden flash streaked across—an armor-piercing arrow infused with gold-attribute soul power struck Lie Yan's head.
"Boom—"
His head burst like a watermelon, flesh and brain matter spraying through the air.
Seeing this gruesome sight, Han Bing was terrified.
Before he could react, a powerful spiritual force invaded his mind. His vision spun, and he, too, fell into eternal darkness.
'Hmph~ That's the price for underestimating an archer!'
Watching the two headless Soul Sage corpses fall from the sky, Chu Chengzhou, who had fired a second arrow in mere seconds, scoffed inwardly.
Killing two seven-ring Soul Sages within seconds, he was very pleased with the results.
Of course, he knew it wasn't just his skill—it was mainly that the two enemies underestimated him as a mere four-ring Soul Ancestor.
If they'd activated their martial soul avatars in advance, well... they'd still be dead. Just not as fast.
After all, Chu Chengzhou had consumed Eight Petal Ice Grass and Fiery Apricot, granting him immunity to ice, fire, and poison—perfect counters to elemental Soul Masters.
"Big scumbag, you're totally the kind of man I like—so awesome!"
Seeing him kill two Soul Sages in a flash, Ning Rongrong beamed and praised him.
Normally, Chu Chengzhou would joke about how exactly he was "awesome."
But now wasn't the time. He turned his attention to the battlefield below.
Cang Xiong had already been stopped by Liu Erlong, Flender, and Zhao Wuji, while Xiao Wu and "Big Cat" were evacuating students.
Chu Chengzhou sighed in relief.
However, seeing the mangled corpses of several students near the dorms, his expression darkened again.
Without hesitation, he directed Xiao Hong to land farther from the battle.
"Rongrong, go stay with Xiao Wu and the others."
He instructed Ning Rongrong.
"Okay. That big bear looks super strong—be careful!"
She nodded and reminded him as she got off Xiao Hong.
"Hmph~ That big bear dared to kill in our academy. He's not leaving tonight!"
Chu Chengzhou snorted coldly. His fourth soul ring lit up, summoning his Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear spirit, Xiong Da. After giving him a Blessing from Xiao Bai, he remounted Xiao Hong and rose into the sky again.
Liu Erlong, Flender, and Zhao Wuji weren't just any Soul Sages—they were top-tier. With support from Shao Xin's food-type soul power, they could rival even a Soul Douluo like Cang Xiong.
Now that their strengths were evenly matched, if Chu Chengzhou added surprise attacks from the sky and sent in Xiong Da, things would tip in their favor—especially since Cang Xiong's martial soul shared blood with Xiong Da, causing suppression.
If Xiong Da were older than 20,000 years, that pressure would be much stronger—maybe strong enough to make Cang Xiong collapse just from his presence.